Sweden - Plans for the future

14/11/2011 - 29/12/2011

The 12th and 13th of November 2011 will go down as a landmark weekend for Swedish Rugby. A club forum with the theme of ‘building for the future’ was attended by representatives of almost every rugby club in Sweden.

The forum was presented by Technical Director Magnus Stangenberg and development staff member David Hanley and facilitated by Michael Brobeck of SISU, the national sports council’s education organization, and by Ultan O’ Callaghan, domestic rugby manager for the IRFU and Munster Rugby.

The goal of the weekend was to assess the current state of the game in Sweden and to begin the process of producing the visions and plans to take the game into a new phase of rapid growth and expansion to ensure sustained success long into the future.

Ultan O’ Callaghan shared his experiences of the journey Irish and Munster rugby has taken over the last 15 years and the key role the IRFU’s Long Term Player Development programme played in that process.

An intensive, energizing and productive two days provided a wealth of useful material and more importantly, an environment for a new era of engagement and grassroots development in Swedish Rugby.

The Swedish Union were also proud to announce alignment between the national sports council’s education pathway and IRB education material as well as a plans for the launch of a new mini rugby course for coaches new to the game and involved in coaching children between the ages of 6 and 12.

Further plans were revealed for the roll-out of Swedish Rugby’s own Long Term Player development plan which is aligned to the national sports council’s pathway and includes a stepping-stone stage for organizational development for clubs.